The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-06-24
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CHAPTER XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.
HANS coETxEE CONES TO PRETORIA.
When once he had taken the turn, johns
recovery was rapid. Naturally OF vigorous
constitution, when the artery had fairly
united he soon made up for the great loss OF
blood which he had undergone, and little
more than a month from the date Of hi
wound was, physically, almost as good man
as ever.
One morning-it was the Goth of March
Jess and he were sitting in "The Palatial'
garden. John was lying In a long cane deck
chair that Jess had borrowed or stolen out Of
one Of the deserted houses, and smoking a
pipe.
They sat in silence; John putting away at
his pipe, and Jess, her work-one Of his socks
Lying idly upon her knees, with her hands
clasped over it and her eyes fixed upon the
lights and shadows that played with broad
fingers upon the wooded slopes beyond.
John finished his pipe, and, although she
did not know it, was watching her face,
which, now that she was of her guard, was
no longer impressive, but seemed to mirror
the tender and glorious hope that was float
ing through her mind Her lips were slightly
parted, and her wide eyes were full Of soft,
strange light, while on the whole counter
ance was look of eager thought and spiritu-
allied desire such as he had known portrayed
in ancient masterpieces upon the face Of the
virgin mother. jess was not, except as re-
CARDS her eyes and hair, even a good looking
person. But at that moment John thought
that her face was touched with q diviner
beauty than he had yet seen on the face of
woman. 1t thrilled him and appealed to him,
not as Bessie's beauty had appealed, but to
that other side of his nature, Of which Jess
alone could turn the key. Her face was more
like the face of spirit than human beings,
and it almost frightened him to see it.
"Jess," he said at last, "what are you think
ing of"
normal air. It was as though mask had
been suddenly set upon it.
"Why do you asks" she said.
because l want to know. l never saw
you look like that BEFORE"
She laughed little.
"You would think me foolish if told you
what was thinking about. Never mind, it
has gone wherever thoughts 60. 1 will tell
you what am thinking about now, which
is-that it is about time we got out of this
place. My uncle and Bessie will be half dis
tracted."
"We've had more than two months of it
now. The relieving column can't be far off,"
suggested John; for these foolish people in
Pretoria labored under firm belief that one
fine morning they would be gratifed with
the sight of the light dancing down a long
line of British bayonets, and of Beers evapor-
ating in every direction like storm clouds be-
fore the sun.
jess shook her head. She was beginning
to lose faith in relieving columns that never
came
III we don't help ourselves, my opinion is
that we may stop here till we are starved
out which we pretty well are. However, it's
no use talking about it, so I'm of to get our
rations. Let's see, have you got everything
you wants"
Everything, thanks"
"Well, then, mind you stop quiet till come
"Why," laughed John, II am as strong as a
horse"
"Possibly; but that is what the doctor said,
you know. Good bye!" And jess took her
big basket and started on what John used to
feebly call her irrational undertaking."
She had not got fifty PAGES from the door
before she suddenly caught sight of familiar
form seated on familiar pony. The form
was fat and jovial looking, and the pony was
small but also fat. 1t was Hans Coetzee-
none other!
jess could hardly believe her eyes. Old
Hans in Pretoria! What could it meant
"Om Coetzee! ON Coetzee!" she called, as
he came ambling past her, evidently making
for the Heidelberg road.
The old Boer pulled up his pony, and gazed
around him in a mystified way.
"Here, ON Coetzee! Here!"
"Allemachter!" he said, jerking his pony
round. ats you, Missile Jess, is it! Now
who would have thought of seeing you heres"
"Who would have thought of seeing you
here?" she answered.
ayes, yes; it seems strange; dare say that
it seems strange. But am a messenger Of
peace, like Uncle Noah's dove m the ark, you
know. The fact is" and he glanced round to
see if anybody were listening, u have been
sent by the government to arrange about an
exchange of prisoners"
"The government What governments"
"What government Why, the triumvirate,
of course-whom may the Lord bless and
prosper as he did Jonah when he walked on
the wall Of the city,"
Joshua, when he walked round the wall Of
the city," suggested jess. "Jonah walked
down the whales throat" ..
"Ah! to be sure, SO he did, and blew a
trumpet inside. l remember now; though l
am sure l don't know how he did it. The
fact is that our glorious victories have quite
confused me. All! what a thing it is to be
patriot! The dear Lord makes strong the
arm of the patriot, and takes care that he hits
his man well in the middle"
"You have turned wonderfully patriotic all
of a sudden, ON Coetzee," said Jess, tartly.
eyes, missile, yes; am a patriot to the
bone Of my back. hate the English govern
ment; d-n the English government! Let us
have our land back and our volksraad. Al
mighty! I saw who was in the right at
Laing's Mex there. All, those poor rooibaat-
jes! shot four of them myself; two as they
came up and two as they ran away, and the
last one went head over heels like buck.
Poor man! cried for him afterward. I did
not like going to fight at all, but Frank Null
Ter sent tu me and said that if did not 60 he
would have me shot. All, he is devil of
man, that Frank Mullerl So went, and
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